Seasonal Memories

The last night, as the castle fell. One knight remained before the abandoned gate.

Soldier
Sir! It's reached the gate!

Knight
Get everyone inside. I'll hold it here.

Through the pouring rain, the Elder Troll appeared before the gate. The knight stood his ground and barred its way.

The Elder Troll
Another human.

Knight
…

The Elder Troll
Move. I'll crush this castle.

Knight
You go no further.

The knight raised his sword against the Elder Troll. But its relentless attacks brought him to his knees.

Knight
Argh…

The Elder Troll
I've no business with a weakling like you.

The Elder Troll left the fallen knight behind.

Knight
…I'm sorry.

His vision slowly blurred.

A faint teal glow spread through the darkness.

Morning light filled the courtyard. Pawn was with the old man when a soldier came to report on the supply convoy.

Old Man
Pawn! Come here a moment.

Pawn
Coming!

Soldier
Sir, last night's monsters cracked the gate supports.

Old Man
How much timber is left?

Soldier
Almost none.

Pawn
Shall I bring some? I want to help!

Old Man
You? Can you manage the trip to the forest?

Pawn
Yes. I can do it!

Old Man
Good. Fighting isn't the only way to protect the castle. Let's start with the nearby forest.

The old man led the way, with Pawn close behind. They passed through the open gate and headed into the forest to gather wood.

Pawn set out for the nearby forest. With each swing of the axe, the pile of timber grew.

The wood went into repairs at the gate. The work of small hands helped hold the defenses through the night.

The gate had held. The timber Pawn brought now braced its broken frame.

Pawn
That's my timber. Did I help protect the castle too?

Old Man
Of course. A sword is not the only way to protect people.

Pawn
Then I'll bring more today!

A little light appeared as Pawn gathered sticks. It stayed even when Pawn came closer.

Pawn
Hello. Want to come with me?

Pawn held out an open hand, and the little light settled on it. When the hand rose, the light rose too. They played like that for a while.

Pawn
You like this too? Let's play again tomorrow.

The little light circled Pawn’s fingertips. With the gathered sticks and a new friend, Pawn went to see the old man.

Pawn
Grandpa, I saw a little light while gathering. It stayed when I came closer.

Old Man
A spirit has come to you. It seems it wants to stay by your side.

Pawn
Have you met a spirit too?

Old Man
Long ago. They have wills of their own, just as we do.

Rune ore and shining stones came together on the anvil. The hammer struck, and a ring began to glow.

The forging was complete. It was time to choose the hero’s power to inscribe in the ring.

Pawn
How does this ring call on a hero’s power?

As the little spirit drew near, gold and teal light entwined above the ring. A memory appeared of a hero who had carried a shield long ago.

Pawn
Was this person a hero who fought here too?

Old Man
Yes. We haven’t called another hero. We’re looking at an old memory reflected in the ring.

Pawn
So there’s no person trapped inside the ring?

Old Man
That’s right. It reaches the resolve and memories of battle that person left behind.

Pawn
Who was that hero trying to protect?

The hero’s image held its shield in silence.

Pawn
We can carry that resolve forward too, can’t we?

Old Man
Of course. Think of the people you want to protect.

An old waystone stood among the flowers. Nothing happened when Pawn touched it.

Pawn
Is it just a rock?

A little spirit approached. The flower carving shone, revealing a glimpse of an ancient scene.

Pawn
What was that? Do you know this stone too?

Soldiers fought on the walls. Below, people carried timber, cooked meals and rebuilt fallen stone.

A support beside the gate began to fall, trapping a soldier beneath it. The timber carriers dropped their loads and ran to help.

Some held up the support while others pulled the soldier free. Fresh timber soon filled the gap. The gate held once more.

Pawn
They're like me. They aren't fighting, but they're protecting the castle.

Old Man
Yes. Heroes were never the only ones who kept a castle standing.

Pawn
So everything I gather helps them too.

A sun marked the summer waystone. As the spirits' lights joined, a memory of war awakened.

Pawn
The spirits are gathering first this time. The flower stone shone like this too.

Old Man
Yes. I wonder what memory this stone holds.

Long ago, monsters overran human settlements. A spirit shared its power with a human who sought to protect the people.

Pawn
So that person grew stronger because the spirit shared its power.

Old Man
When a human and a spirit resonated deeply with one purpose, the first hero was born.

The memory moved to a battlefield. The Guardian raised her shield, buying time for the soldiers to fall back.

Beside her, the Mage raised a staff. Violet magic drove back the advancing monsters.

On another road, the Berserker swung a greatsword. As the monsters scattered, a wagon of refugees began to move.

The Gladiator stopped an enemy charging at the wagon, caught its blow on a shield, then thrust into the opening.

The Dark Knight guarded the rear. Violet sword waves held off the pursuers as the wagon passed through the gate.

Pawn
They all fought differently… but they were protecting the same people.

Old Man
Together they drove back the monsters and sealed the rift. This castle was built to guard that seal.

Pawn
Then can a ring connect with memories of heroes like these?

Old Man
Yes. A ring does not imprison a hero. It reaches the memories of resonance they left behind.

Pawn
So it isn't someone brought back to life. It's the memory they left behind.

Old Man
Their strongest will and memories of battle briefly take form.

Beneath fallen leaves, the stone revealed two young knights: Mars and the guardian before he grew old.

Mars
Good sword work today. But did you look at the person beside you even once?

Young Guardian
…No. I was too busy trying to win.

Mars
Next time, make sure you both come home.

Pawn
Is that… Grandpa? You used to be a knight too.

Old Man
Yes.

Pawn
Were you really strong?

Old Man
I wonder. I couldn't protect everyone to the end.

While leading people to safety, the young guardian took an old sword from the armory.

Guardian Spirit
Is there still something you wish to protect?

Young Guardian
Yes. Share your strength with me, so I can protect them.

The spirit’s light settled in the sword. Strength returned to the weary guardian.

Pawn
It really was you… Is that why you kept defending the castle?

Old Man
Yes. There were too many people I couldn't save.

A deep crack split the stone’s pattern. The spirits’ light scattered between the two halves.

Pawn
Why can't we see this one? Do we need to be stronger?

Old Man
I don’t think force will help. Let’s join the broken pattern with the spirits.

The spirits joined the broken pattern with light. The memory led back to before the castle burned, when Mars was the kingdom’s strongest knight.

Mars
I honed my sword all my life. If I never get to use this strength, no one will remember me.

Young Guardian
Isn't it a good thing when there's no need to fight?

Mars
You don't understand yet. Having power and still being unable to change anything.

His wish turned from protecting people toward proving that his power was needed.

Mars raised his sword before the seal left by the ancient heroes. He believed he could stop whatever emerged.

Young Guardian
Master, what are you doing?

Mars
Don't worry. I can stop it.

Mars’s sword split the seal. He struck down the small monsters, but behind them an immense being opened its eyes.

Young Guardian
Master… this is beyond us.

The rift kept widening. Records of the seal and resonance relics were swept inside.

Pawn
So that's how the spider got the ring blueprint…

Pawn
Wait… this scene…

Old Man
What is it?

Pawn
I don't know. But I know it.

Old Man
This isn't my memory in the stone. The light… it's coming from you.

The rain. The fallen sword. The defeated knight. The scene that seemed over continued.

Knight
…I couldn't protect them after all.

Guardian Spirit
It isn't over yet.

Knight
It's all gone. The castle… the people…

Guardian Spirit
Just once. I'll send you back before it all began.

Eyes and hair appeared beneath the cracked helmet. A familiar face, grown almost beyond recognition.

Pawn
…That person… is me.

This was no history from the stone. It was a memory sealed within Pawn, of days that had yet to come.

Future Pawn
I have to remember. Then this time—

Guardian Spirit
No. If you carry those memories back, you'll try to bear it all alone again.

Future Pawn
Then what about you?

Guardian Spirit
This time… don't fight alone.

The seasons flowed backward. Ruins became a castle again, and the knight became a child.

The spirit spent all its power to turn back those distant years. As its light faded, Pawn’s memories of the future were sealed deep within him.

Old Man
Pawn! Come here a moment.

As the voice faded, the snow-covered stone came back into view. Pawn looked at the elder beside him.

Pawn
…It was that morning. The spirit sent me back, and then…

Old Man
That was the voice I heard in my sword. The spirit stayed with you to the very end, too.

Pawn
I won’t forget. This time, I’ll keep that promise.

Pawn
Have you been holding them back here all this time?

Old Man
Yes. I thought defending this castle was all I could do.

Pawn
But holding them back won't end this. I'll find another way. I'll go to where the rift began.

Old Man
Go. This time, with everyone who stands beside you.

One spirit had given all its light to save Pawn. Now many companions stood beside him.

Old Man
Look after one another. Tell me your story when you return.

Pawn
Yes. This time, we'll go together.